Let it be said that we wrote the messages imprinted on our hearts.

To You, With Love

I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting over the past few days. And I’ve come to a couple conclusions. The first: time isn’t gentle on us. When we want it to slow down, it invariably speeds up. When we alight on something wonderful and want to hit pause, the remote is conveniently missing. Time is no easy companion but it is a great teacher. Unfortunately, wisdom never seems to come overnight…confusion, internal chaos, and lots of wrong turns do.In the words of the wonderful Sonja Lowe, if trials make us stronger, we’re all going to be emotionally ripped one day. (It’s comforting to think I can one day have Ryan Gosling abs on the inside.)

My second conclusion: the future me will so easily make the same mistakes and take the same things for granted without a reminder to embrace life and all its unpredictability. Because with time, we forget. Which is why I’ve decided to make this post a letter of sorts…a letter to my future self. Blasts from the past are usually useful. So here goes.

Dear Amy,

Your purpose in this life is relatively simple, but somehow, you find a way to complicate everything. Accept that about yourself and try to breathe a little more. Simple is good, simple is right.

When in doubt – love big. A heart that isn’t afraid to let others in, a heart that willingly risks rejection, is a brave heart indeed.

Choose to see the best in people. Sometimes cliches aren’t just cheesy, they’re proverbial, too. Seeing the best in others will ultimately protect you from bitterness and embarrassing misunderstandings – the less awkwardness you have to encounter, the better.

Horizontal running will never get you the same results as vertical running. Get off the couch and leave Ben & Jerry behind. They know how to play the field. They’ll be fine.

There will come a day when you’ll honestly miss having to pour over books and figure out why the flowers weren’t just green because they wanted to be green, they were symbols of birth and renewal and life. Don’t curse the English gods too loudly, just enjoy being a stressed out student surviving on too much coffee.

Cookout runs typically solve everything. Really though. You should probably always have friends who understand the beauty of a milkshake at midnight.

Prayer? It works. So before you call your parents or your friends or whoever, check in with God. He’s good at knowing what you need.

Tea drinkers will forever be better thinkers, watching games at Old Trafford will always remind you of summers in England and take away the homesickness. Bad hair days are unavoidable, boys will sometimes make you cry. Pride and Prejudice is the antidote for a rough week, girlfriends are the antidote to anything else. Driving with the windows down and the music loud unleashes your inner Madonna and helps you forget any insanity for awhile. The songs that make you tear up are the songs you need to hear and the songs that touch your heart are the ones you must learn to play.

Letting go of hurts and sharing brokenness is the key to healing – although chocolate helps, too.

So take care of yourself and keep on keeping on. Sing in the shower, wear high heels, buy pretty dresses. Life is precious – hold it close.